Latch for electric water heaters



1927 c. VANDENBERGHE LATCH FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS Filed Mayll. 1926 INVENTOR C Vmderzlbelyfie BY 3 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1927. n UNITED STATES v 1,646,225 PATENT, OFFICE."

CHARLES VANDENBERGHE, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR OE FIETEEN BER CENT T RICHARD L. KELLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

'rn'ron FOR ELEGTRIGWATER HEATERS.

Application filed May 11,

The main object of this invention is to provide a novel type of latch for securing the part of a sectional cage of an electric water heater to each other in such manner that the sections are positively interlocked when the latch is closed and may be conveniently and quickly opened by a person with ease.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference-referto like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the application of the hot water heater to a boiler.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the hot water heater, showing a portion of the casing in section to illustrate theconstruction of the device. I

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the device, showing a section of the casing in open position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the casing, showing engagement of the latch.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates a boiler which is mounted upon a brick foundation 11. This boiler is provided with an inlet pipe 12 and a return pipe 13. The inlet and return pipes extendvertically toward each other on one side of the boiler and are spaced-apart and in the space between the ends of said inlet and return pipes, a heating Water coil 14 is joined to the ends of said inlet and return pipes. The annular space in the coil 14 is filled by a heat insulating core 15 having a helically formed groove 16 therein in which grooves a resistance wire 17 is seated, as .illustrated'in Figure 2. From the ends of this resistance wire, which is mounted in the grooves 16, leads 18 and 19 extend into a switch box 20 which may be located at any point near to or remote from the heating apparatus when mounted adjacent the device. The box 20 may be fixed upon brackets 21 and 22 which for convenience, may be attached to the inlet and return pipes, as shown in Figure 1, or any other preferable installation may be used. The heating coil 14, the insulating core 15, and the resistance wire 17, are all enclosed in a casing which consists of a hollow cylindrical construction divided into two parts, a semi-circular body 23 and a similarly shaped and dimensioned cover 24, which latter is mounted on hinges 25 which are 1926. Serial 11o.'108,208.

secured to the=body 23. Means for latching are provided on the casing, one member be ing a tapering tongue 26 mounted on a pin '27 secured to the body 23. This tongue is pivoted on .said pin and has a tooth 28 at its free endyand a ledge 29 adjacentits tooth which cooperate with a lever 30 which is pivoted intermediate its length ona pintle 31.

The pintle is mounted on the cover 24 and registers in an opening provided in the lever at a position intermediate the length of the latter. Said lever is provided with a notch 32 shaped similar to the outline of and having the same size as the tooth 28. This lever is of sufficient thickness to permit the formbox 20 and not shown on the drawing, is 7 closed, current thru the leads l8 and 19 and thru the resistance wire 17 forms a circuit which causes the resistance wire to glow with heat, and this wire being seated in the grooves 16 of the core 15, follow the convolution of the heating coil 14 and heating whatever medium is contained in said coil.

In order to retain as much heat as possible,

the coil, core, and resistance wire are entirely enclosed in a casing which provides a structure for enveloping these members and retains most of the heat generated by the apparatus. When the cover 24 is to be opened by rotating the same upon the hinges 25, the tongue is disengaged from the lever 30 by rotating the free end of the lever upwardly, accomplished by manipulating the ear 36, mounted on the lever. the tapering end of the lever in position against the tension of the spring37 which normally is held in horizontal. position so that the tooth 28 is removed out of the recess 32 of the lever 30. The cover is then unlatched and may be readily swung to open position as is desired. The tongue 26 This action lowers loo 38. \Vhen the door or cover of the device is to be latehed in the closed position, the cover is automatically locked in closed position by the engagement of the lever 30 with thet-ongue 26. The taperingend ofthe lever 30 engages the hooked GIYClQBUf the'tongue, rides over the inclined surface formed on said hooked end and the tongue and lever are mutually moved apart until the hooked end o-fthe tongue registers in the recess 32 thus interlocking both the tongue and :the lever which are located respectively on the body and cover of the device. l It :is to be noted that certain changes in form and'oonstruetion may :be made Without departing from the spirit and scope :of the invention. a r fI'0lai'rn: l

1. Means forilatchingaicover on a casing comprising iapivoted :tongue mounted on the casing, -'a pivoted lever mounted on @the cover, 831d tongue having 121 =to'oth thereon,

said lever having anoteh therein engageable by saidtooth, a spring urgingsaidlilever into horizontal position, the end of said lever insubstantially horizontal position.

2. Means fonlatehing a cover on a. casing e ompr1s ng a. p voted tongue mounted on the casing, a pivoted lever n ounted on the cover, said tongue hav ng a tooth thereon,

said dever having a notch therein engageable by said tQOtll, a spring urging said lever into horizontal position, the end of said lever being tapered to permit sliding thereon said tooth, a pin limitingrotation qt said lever, means for supporting the tongue in substantially horizontal position, and means "being tapered to permit sliding thereon of 'sald tooth, a pln llml-tl-IlgTOiEEtt-lOIl of said lever, and ineans forsupporting the tongue 

